Firefighters clash with cops in ground zero protests

New York firefighters attacked police today during violent protests over the scaling down of recovery operations at ground zero.

Eleven firefighters, including a captain and a fire marshal, were arrested as they stormed the World Trade Centre wreckage to demonstrate against the move to cut the number of their colleagues working on the site to just 24.

Protesters flipped solid wooden barricades on to police officers before seizing cranes from construction workers to use as podiums to address the crowd.

Police commissioner Bernard Kerrik said five officers were suffering from black eyes and shoulder, neck and back injuries after being hurt during the clashes.

Several firefighters had punched police officers, he said, adding: ‘‘Nobody should assault a New York cop.’’

Later, the firefighters marched on City Hall in an attempt to take the message direct to Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, but they were blocked by a wall of police, some wearing riot gear.

At the height of rescue efforts, up to 2,500 firefighters were deployed at Ground Zero, but after recent safety fears numbers have been slashed to 24 firefighters and 24 police officers.

Matty James from the Uniformed Firefighters Association, called the move ‘‘disgusting’’, saying this week alone the bodies of 12 firefighters were pulled from the rubble.

‘‘The city may be ready to turn this into a construction job, but we’re not. We want to our brothers back,’’ he said.

‘‘By doing this, the city is taking away from these families, these widows, these mothers and fathers any chance for closure.’’

Mr Giuliani said he made the decision after construction experts warned that the operation was out of control and putting the lives of firefighters and recovery workers at risk.

‘‘We have had a series of near misses in recent weeks. People have been seconds away from being hit by cranes or getting crushed by collapsing rubble.

‘‘It isn’t right to put the lives of our people in jeopardy.’’

He added that the protesting firefighters were playing on ‘‘emotions’’.

‘‘You need some degree of professional detachment if you are going to be responsible for the lives of other people,’’ the mayor said.